METZGERIA. 459 



Genus 44. METZGERIA H(i(/di. 



Jungermania, L. Sp. pi. ed. 1, p. o24 (17;57) ; Hook. I'lit. Jiu lt. t. !'.'>, .")() iind hb 



(181(0. 

 Metzgeria, Raddi in Act. See. Sc. Modena, 18, p. ;M (1«18). 



Plants frondose, soft, pale green or yellow, rarely dark green, 

 prostrate, stratified or creeping laxly amongst mosses. Fronds 

 linear, diehotomously branclied, very rarely pinnate ; floriferous, 

 branches postical, pilose or ciliate, especially on the costa on the 

 postical side, sometimes on the whole of the postical surface, 

 rarely on the antical. Pili or cilia solitary or 2-5. Costa very 

 distinct, rarely terete, slightly compressed, cross-section oval, 

 4-11 cells in diameter, cortical cells larger and pellucid, inner 

 narrow, subopaque. Pagina, viz. wings on both sides of tlie 

 costa, 10-25 cells broad, composed of one layer, texture lax, 

 pellucid, often decurved or undulate. Inflorescence dioicous, very 

 rarely monoicous. Involucre ? (bracts) on short postical branches, 

 emarginate or obcordate, sometimes reduced to a mere annulus 

 around the base of the calyptra. Perianth absent. Pistillidia 

 i'ew, 2-5-pairs, short, the sterile surrounding the base of the 

 calyptra. Calyptra exserted, clavate or pyriform, fleshy, the 

 whole or only the upper half pilose or villose. Pedicel short. 

 Capsule oval, dividing to the base into 4 valves, composed of two 

 layers, inner without annular or semi-annular fibres. Elater> 

 long, unispiral, deciduous. Elater-bearers short, claviform, per- 

 sistent at the apex of the valves. Spores minute, almost 

 smooth. Involucre $ similar to the ? , globose, convolute ; 

 antheridia about 4-pairs, globose, very shortly stipitate. Gemma? 

 aggregated on the attenuate apices of the linear fronds, composed 

 of one layer, margin fimbriated. 



